Predestination and Free Will

I have been reading this book "The Reformed doctrine of Predestination" by Loraine Boettner, and the single major obstacle in understanding this doctrine is the two issues of Predestination and Free Will. The common argument that if God has foreordained everything, then there isn't Free Will and vice versa. Although Loraine has given some thoughts to this issue in the middle chapters of the book, i came to a conclusion myself (that might not be entirely clear and without clarity of thought).

For God has given everyone of us their nature, for we are indeed fearfully and wonderfully made even before we were born, and in us, God has given us each unique character and nature of which we are all different, and yet, in the environment God has given us, we are inevitably subjected to a foreordained will of God, for as Judas, a thief and yet Jesus chose him to be an apostle, and Peter, for who Jesus knew will deny him three times, in these, Jesus knew their nature, but allowing their nature to bring to an accomplishment the fulfillment of God's plan. As quoted on the persisting difficulties in reconcilling these two great pillars.

Predestination and Free agency are the twin pillars of a great temple, and they meet above the clouds where the human gaze cannot penerate. Or again, we may say Predestination and Free Agency are parallel lines; and while the Calvinist may not be able to make them unite, the Arminian cannot make them cross each other.

Five points of Calvinism

T.U.L.I.P – Commonly known as the Five Points of Calvinism – This system of theology was reaffirmed by the Synod of Dordt in 1619 as the doctrine of salvation contained in the Scriptures. The system was at that time formulated into "five points" in answer to the unscriptural five points submitted by the Arminians to the Church of Holland in 1610.

T – Total Depravity
Total Depravity is probably the most misunderstood tenet of Calvinism. When Calvinists speak of humans as "totally depraved," they are making an extensive, rather than an intensive statement. The effect of the fall upon man is that sin has extended to every part of his personality — his thinking, his emotions, and his will. Not necessarily that he is intensely sinful, but that sin has extended to his entire being.

Romans 5:12 "Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way, death came to all men, because all sinned"

Ephesians 2:1-5 "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the Kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved."

U – Unconditional Elections
Unconditional Election is the doctrine which states that God chose those whom he was pleased to bring to a knowledge of himself, not based upon any merit shown by the object of his grace and not based upon his looking forward to discover who would "accept" the offer of the gospel. God has elected, based solely upon the counsel of his own will, some for glory and others for damnation

This doctrine does not rule out, however, man's responsibility to believe in the redeeming work of God the Son (John 3:16-18). Scripture presents a tension between God's sovereignty in salvation, and man's responsibility to believe which it does not try to resolve. Both are true — to deny man's responsibility is to affirm an unbiblical hyper-calvinism; to deny God's sovereignty is to affirm an unbiblical Arminianism.

Ephesians 2:10 "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do"

Thus, though good works will never bridge the gulf between man and God that was formed in the Fall, good works are a result of God's saving grace. This is what Peter means when he admonishes the Christian reader to make his "calling" and "election" sure (2 Peter 1:10). Bearing the fruit of good works is an indication that God has sown seeds of grace in fertile soil.

L – Limited Atonement
Limited Atonement is a doctrine offered in answer to the question, "for whose sins did Christ atone?" The Bible teaches that Christ died for those whom God gave him to save (John 17:9). Christ died, indeed, for many people, but not all (Matthew 26:28). Specifically, Christ died for the invisible Church — the sum total of all those who would ever rightly bear the name "Christian" (Ephesians 5:25).

This doctrine often finds many objections, mostly from those who think that Limited Atonement does damage to evangelism. We have already seen that Christ will not lose any that the father has given to him (John 6:37). Christ's death was not a death of potential atonement for all people. Believing that Jesus' death was a potential, symbolic atonement for anyone who might possibly, in the future, accept him trivializes Christ's act of atonement. Christ died to atone for specific sins of specific sinners. Christ died to make holy the church. He did not atone for all men, because obviously all men are not saved. Evangelism is actually lifted up in this doctrine, for the evangelist may tell his congregation that Christ died for sinners, and that he will not lose any of those for whom he died!

I – Irresistable Grace
The result of God's Irresistible Grace is the certain response by the elect to the inward call of the Holy Spirit, when the outward call is given by the evangelist or minister of the Word of God. Christ, himself, teaches that all whom God has elected will come to a knowledge of him (John 6:37). Men come to Christ in salvation when the Father calls them (John 6:44), and the very Spirit of God leads God's beloved to repentance (Romans 8:14). What a comfort it is to know that the gospel of Christ will penetrate our hard, sinful hearts and wondrously save us through the gracious inward call of the Holy Spirit (I Peter 5:10)!

P – Perseverance of the Saints
Perseverance of the Saints is a doctrine which states that the saints (those whom God has saved) will remain in God's hand until they are glorified and brought to abide with him in heaven. Romans 8:28-39 makes it clear that when a person truly has been regenerated by God, he will remain in God's stead. The work of sanctification which God has brought about in his elect will continue until it reaches its fulfillment in eternal life (Phil. 1:6). Christ assures the elect that he will not lose them and that they will be glorified at the "last day" (John 6:39). The Calvinist stands upon the Word of God and trusts in Christ's promise that he will perfectly fulfill the will of the Father in saving all the elect.

Who sits at the throne of my heart?

I was reading the book "How to read the bible for all its worth" by Fee & Stuart last night before i hit the bed and as i pondered over the things i read last night, i began to examine the mindset that i have put myself in previously. Am i a puritan by choice, or a Christian by choice and a puritan by my faith? There is a difference, mind you. A puritan by choice is one who exalts the purity of scriptural interpretation by the letters of it, and adhering strongly to the fundamentals of biblical exegesis and hermeneautics, and that's it, I became an intellectual; Or am i a Christian by choice and puritan by faith? In saying that, no matter how much i know, the methods of interpretation of the scriptures, have i missed out what it means to be a disciple of Jesus? I am a Christian by choice, that's to be obedient to my King, to my Lord and Saviour, to put on love for each other, than a spirit of condemnation. I think Mercy is right, so often christians have criticized Benny Hinn or Morris Cerrulo, and all those 'false teachers' so called, but how many times, have we prayed for them that they too, are loved by God, and that God will reach out even to Benny Hinn to make him right if he is wrong, to use Benny Hinn to reach the millions?

I remembered the story told by Rev Edmund Chan from the Global Day of Prayer gathering last Sunday, about the soldiers who loyally followed Napoleon, that they shouted "Long live the emperor" whenever Napoleon rode by, but that's not the strongest declaration of allegience; there was a young french solder who got shot in the chest, and as the doctor was operating on him to take the slug out of his chest, he refused and told the doctor to leave the bullet there, for if he would have dug deeper, he would find his emperor Napoleon there, in his heart. That, is the strongest proclaimation of loyalty. If i were to dig deep into my heart today, would i find pride, or "I, me and myself" in there on the throne of my heart, or is it Lust, carnality, or money?

I would love to operate on myself so i will dig deep, and i will pray that God will reveal what's on the throne of my heart? If it is not Jesus, i pray Lord, operate on me, take whatever, and whoever out of my heart and put Jesus there! Literally! Lord, i will make the choice to be a Christian first and a puritan by faith! Lord, i want to Love and be a channel to reconcile people to You than to drive a wedge between them and You, let me be a channel to exhort than to condemn, a channel for you to bring healings to the nations than a selfish twart that pride would swell and bring me closer to hell. Lord I want to follow you, and even if it means, to crucify "I, me and myself" on that Cross, i will gladly do so, let me die to the Cross that for me to live is Christ, to die is gain.